John t



(No Model.)

J. T. LENMAN. LETTER BOX.

No. 444,638. Patented Jan. 13, 1891".

UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE.

JOHN T. LENMAN, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 444,638, dated January 13, 1891.

Application filed'October 10, 1890- Serial No. 367,665. (No model.)

To a ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN T. LENMAN, of the city of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter-Boxes; andI do hereby declare that the following specification, taken in connection with the drawings furnished and forming a part of the same, is a clear, true, and complete description of my invention. In Letters Patent No. 404,293, issued to me May 28, 1889,I disclosed a letter-box devised by me which, as I believe, is the first to em body a rocking receiving tray operatively connected with a vertical pendent lid covering the receiving-aperture, and with the tray so organized as to drop its contents from its front edge within the box below the lid. The

value of a rocking tray is due to the fact that a complete clearance of its contents may be eifected with a minimum of motion, and although rocking shelves have heretofore been employed with pendent vertical lids they have been so organized as to cause the shelf to discharge from its rear edge, thus carrying its front edge above the letter-receiving aperture and rendering the contents of the box absolute, security against pilferin g.

compartively insecure against pilfering by the use of wire picks. Moreover, the front discharging action of the tray enables the re ceiving-space in the tray to be practically inclosed and provided with one opening, which need only correspond in area with the aperture in the box through which letters are inserted, thus affording extraordinary, if not In order that these and many other advantages may .be secured, I have now so organized the rockof the box, which is slotted for that purpose,

and also the use of apivoted cam-lever, which in my prior box provided for certain variations in motion as between the tray and the lid. In my new organization I not only secure greater simplicity and consequent economy and durability, but also greater conven ience in use, and I obviate that exposure to weather which is involved in the use of an outside tray-knob and a slot in the wall of the box.

To more particularly describe my invention, I will refer to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view of one of my boxes with a portion of one end plate removed for disclosing the end of the tray, the pendent lid, and their connections, and with the lid and tray in their normal positions. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the upper portion of the box with the tray and lid elevated, as during the dropping of a letter. Fig. 3 illustrates the rocking tray detached from the box.

Fig. 4 illustrates one end of the pendent lid detached and with one of the links by which it is coupled to the tray.

The body of the box A is substantially as that disclosed in my aforesaid Letters Iatent, and it has a vertically-straight back a and an arched closed top I), and at its front side 0, below the arched top and the mail opening or aperture cl, it is curved outwardly at c. A box in this form affords a maximum storage-space within a box of a given size, because the arched top need be no larger than is necessary for affording ample space for a tray of proper size, and so that the lat ter can assume such an inclination as will cause its contents to be surely and promptly discharged without its front edge being un duly depressed, and so made to occupy space which might at times be required for letters.

Access to the contents of the box is provided for bymeans of an opening and alocked door, as is usual in such boxes.

'The tray B is similar to the one disclosed in my aforesaid prior patent, in that it is a rocking tray mounted upon suitable axial pivots or on a rod 6, serving as a pivotal support. It has a fioorf, end walls ff, and a top f and its front side is partially closed from its top downward by a curved portion, as at f between which and the front edge of the bottom there is an opening or aperture (1, which has a greater area than, and consequenily registers with, the box-aperture (I, through which letters are to be delivered to the tray.

The lid C is of the outwardly-*swinging pendent type, and has suitable means for manipulation, preferably finger-knobs, as at g, and it is hinged to the hex at g beneath a projecting ledge g on the box. As compared with lids hinged at the lower edge or with others which are substantially horizontal and are in fact box-covers hinged at their rear edges, the importance of the pendent lid is well recognized, because of its affording superior security against the entrance of rain or snow, whether closed or opened for mailing, as well as because it is located at the front side of a box, and can be more convenient-ly manipulated by persons of low stature than such lids as are on top of the box, or even those which are vertical, but are hinged at their lower edge.

The advantages due to a forward and downward discharge of a tray have been heretofore sought, in combination with horizontal lids or box-covers, either coupled by links or geared to the trays, and also with lids rotative on the tray-supporting axis; but in some of such organizations there is no automatic closure of the lid, and in others a wider range of movement of the lid is required than is conducive to convenience. At each end the lid 0 has two segmental plates 9, between each pair of which is located a link 71, pivoted at 7b to the lid. The tray adjacent to its pivotal rod c has a downwardly-proj ectin g arm '5, which for convenience and strength may be made in the form of a semicircular plate, secured to the bottom or adjacent portion of the tray. One link h may be employed, although I prefer to use two, and so may one of the segmental plates g be omitted at each end; but I deem it specially desirable to house the linkpivot between two plates, as shown. The link or links h at their opposite ends are pivoted to the tray-arm i sufficiently near the pivotal rod to secure proper discharging movement of thetray after its front edge has been lifted by the lid for receiving letters, the two extremes in the position of the tray being shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The mailing-aperture d in the box and the mouth (1' of the tray may obviously have an area large enough for the reception of the largest pieces of first-class mail-matter without impairing security or exposure to the weather, and said receiving aperture and tray are not only shielded from driving rain, as by the ledge 9 the lid 0, and the front curved portion f of the tray, but also by the segmental plates g at the ends of the lid. Said lid end plates q serve mechanically as mere arms or lugs, to which the links are pivoted; but when used in pairs at each end of the lid said end plates protect the inclosed pivotal connections from moisture and consequent rusting. The housing of the outer ends of the links between the lid ends 9 also enables the link-pivots to be very strong and reliable, bccause they are supported at both ends, and the lid may be economically made of cast metal and with its end plates integral and as thin as may be possible, and yet secure ample strength and durability.

The disposition of the weight of the tray and that of the lid, together with their respective pivotal arrangements, is such that when the lid has been dropped the front portion of the tray drops promptly and terminates its movement so abruptly as to cause its contents to be surely discharged and the lid to be well closed and held in that position.

The durability of the moving parts of the box is, as I believe, well assured at the pivotal support of the tray, and also at the linkpivots, and it will be seen that although wear at those points may in time result in more or less lost motion, as between the lid and tray, it will not adversely affect their operation, inasmuch as it will only cause alesser lifting of the front edge of the tray without obstructing its free and prompt falling movement.

It is now to be understood that, while I prefer to employ all the parts constructed as shown and described, (for obtaining the best results,) the tray may be deprived of its sides and top without departure from the main portion of my invention, and also that one link may be used instead of two, and that said link orlinks may be incapable of thrusting action, provided they be capable of lifting the tray, and the latter be then so overweighted at its front side as to secure its prompt fall and to hold the lid in its closed position.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a letter-box having a closed arched top and at its front side provided with a receiving-aperture, the combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of a pendent swinging lid closing said aperture and provided with means for manipulation, a letter-receiving tray rocking centrally and hav ing its front edge normally depressed below said aperture, and a link connecting said tray with the lid, whereby on swinging said lid outwardly for uncovering the receivingaperture the front portion of the tray will be lifted for receiving a letter and on dropping the lid the tray will promptly rock and deliver its contents downwardly and forwardly into the box.

2. The combination, substai'itially as hereinbefore described, of a letter-box having a closed top and a receiving-aperture at its front side, a rocking tray provided with sides and top and having at its front an aperture corresponding to the aperture in the box, a pendent outwardly swinging lid normally covering the box-aperture, provided with a finger-knob and connected by a link with the tray, whereby when the box-aperture is uncovered, as by swinging and raising the lid,

the front portion of the tray will be raised from its normally-depressed position and its aperture registered with the box-aperture for receiving mail and no openings afforded between the interior of the tray and the adjacent walls of the boX.

3. In a letter-box, the combination, With a rocking tray, of a pendent lid provided with end plates, and a link pivoted to said tray, and also pivoted to said lid on a pivot sup- 1o ported by both end plates, substantially as described.

JOHN T. LENMAN. Witnesses:

PHILIP F. LARNER, HOWELL BARTLE. 

